Oprah Getting Heat Over Kardashians Interview
According to the Los Angeles Times, Oprah and the Kardashians are about to become well acquainted. It’s been reported that the OWN network hasn’t been doing poorly in the ratings and has lost over $300 million as a result. Her efforts to save OWN with high profile interviews with Bobbi Kristina and the Jackson family interviews have apparently done little to improve the fledgling channel’s reputation.
Now she is interviewing the infamous Kardashian clain and is receiving heat for it.
The Los Angeles Times has more:
Has OWN, the struggling Oprah Winfrey network, finally jumped the shark?
The announcement that Winfrey will sit down with Kim Kardashian and her entire family for a segment of “Oprah’s Next Chapter” might suggest that OWN may be entering a heightened state of desperation in its hunger for ratings.
Winfrey is sitting down with the Kardashian family members — and their significant others — at the Jenner home in Hidden Hills for an interview that will air June 17. The interview will be followed by Part 2 of Winfrey’s interview with rapper and “media mogul Curis “50 Cent” Jackson.
The “50 Cent” interview had already raised eyebrows because of Winfrey’s shunning of rappers during almost the entire run of her syndicated daytime show.
Oprah has to prove nothing to anyone anymore, she has been a success. Regardless of any low ratings or percieved network flop. Building a media empire and a network takes time, she has been at it only two or three years and already she is “failure”?
Clearly, folks have no clue how network structures work and how long it takes an NBC, HBO, or a CNN to become what they are. There are many networks that were counted out in the TV industry before their success.
Lifetime (nobody thought a newtork that focused mostly on women would work, now they have two channels)
CNN (No one thought a 24 news channel would get any viewers, now there 4 others copycat stations) CNN was started in the 80′s before the 24 news cycle and social networking.
VH1, FX,MTV, BET, TVOne, the list goes on….
Also, When any of these celebs are interviewed by any other media outlet (CNN, ABC, The View, BBC, NBC) there is no issue.
So why now that she is on her own network, not ABC. It is such a big issue.
Exactly!
A network isn’t an easy move and I commend Oprah for tackling this project as I don’t know too many other black women trying to run a NETWORK.
It will happen and trust me, if it doesn’t Oprah will NOT suffer!
She’s too smart….and no I don’t think bringing the Kardashians is a bad idea..it’s called business.
Umm she’s an interviewer… this is what she does… interview! The fact that she’s interviewing the Kardashian’s isn’t a surprise me to… the fact that she never did before is more surprising. Her interviewing 50 Cent… now THAT was a surprise, LOL
I mean come on… if she can have Super Head on her show… why would Kim K be such a shocker o_O….
So what she wants to interview KimK. KimK is in the spotlight, and Oprah is in the spotlight doing what she does best. Leave Oprah alone. I personally wont be watching this interview, but KimK has a large following, yea it might help with the ratings.
mluv: But the haters don’t get it (business that is). Like you said Oprah has always done interviews. The K’s are in the spotlight; so why wouldn’t Oprah want to interview people that are in the spotlife. In my opinion some people just like saying negative things about Oprah.
Look OWN Stinks. Who want to look at reruns of Dr. Phil? She even played the movie Old Yeller. SMH. Oprah went into this network with a great brand and millions of ready made viewer and blew it. The programing was awful! Who in the hell wanted to see the Judds? Shaina Twain? Ryan and Tatum Oneal?
I can tell people people defending this probably have never watched OWN because if they did they would know Oprah and Discovery did not put any effort into programing. All of her original programing had been done better on another network. The launch programing of OWN was all white ( expect for Gayle who doesn’t even count)and it was not until the second reboot did she add sweetie pies which if the highest rated show on OWN. Oprah took that same white formula over to OWN so I don’t feel sorry for her one iota.
Kim K has become an important figure in our culture (American) and I think an interview is totally fine for Oprah to do. Some might think that Kim K might had a “questionable” climb to the public stage but now she is a successful business woman, philanthropist, a woman who clearly loves her family and why not interview her.
an important figure?
LMAO.
Please go and read a book
Kim K is important? Nah. However, she is a fixture in American pop culture, so the Oprah interview makes sense. I was caught off guard by the 50 Cent interview. It was…interesting.
I think the issue with the OWN network is that the Oprah brand has a certain expectation that comes with it, so when you put your name on the network, people expect you to actually be on it. I think where Discovery screwed up is thinking that with Oprah’s name people will just flock to the network. Where Oprah screwed up is only putting on programming that’s interesting to herself. They both have taken the public for granted in programming decisions.
The OWN network is still really young though so it’s going to take time to get it right. I still think that it’s a huge feat for someone on the verge of retirement.